# New DC Universe = New Coke? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 31, 2011, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-dc-universe-new-coke/583897 "2011-05-31T21:17:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-dc-universe-new-coke/583897/101 "2011-06-07T16:03:47Z")
Supernatural series reveals are up. > **[DC Embraces Its Dark Side | DC](https://www.dc.com/blog/2011/06/07/dc-embraces-its-dark-side)** > > DC Embraces Its Dark Side Swamp Thing, Justice League Dark (Really?.. Really?), Animal Man, Demon Knights, Frankenstein : Agent of Shade, Resurrection Man (Holy Hell!), Voodoo (I’m guessing the Wildstorm gal, imported?) and I, Vampire. I Fucking Vampire. Okay, now I’m officially intrigued. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-dc-universe-new-coke/583897/102 "2011-06-07T16:32:35Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > I Fucking Vampire. Reaching for the _Twilight_ market. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-dc-universe-new-coke/583897/103 "2011-06-07T17:34:54Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Reaching for the _Twilight_ market. 😛 I considered and discarded a similar joke. ---
**Author:** ![Capitaine\_Zombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@Capitaine\_Zombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capitaine_Zombie)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-dc-universe-new-coke/583897/104 "2011-06-07T20:59:09Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > Spinning out of Batman Inc, as a part of the relaunch, is Batwing, a series starring the Batman of Africa. Hello, Wakanda. ---
**Author:** ![infinitii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e8c25b/32.png) [@infinitii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/infinitii)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-dc-universe-new-coke/583897/105 "2011-06-07T21:20:45Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > Supernatural series reveals are up. > > [DC Embraces Its Dark Side | DC](http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2011/06/07/dc-embraces-its-dark-side/) > > Swamp Thing, Justice League Dark (Really?.. Really?), Animal Man, Demon Knights, Frankenstein : Agent of Shade, Resurrection Man (Holy Hell!), Voodoo (I’m guessing the Wildstorm gal, imported?) and I, Vampire. > > I Fucking Vampire. > > Okay, now I’m officially intrigued. That actually sounds very cool. The only character I’ve had any interest in for several years now has been Black Alice – I wonder if DC will every do anything substantial with her? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-dc-universe-new-coke/583897/106 "2011-06-07T21:37:17Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > I just noticed Arsenal’s hat in the Outlaws cover. > > I have to imagine the joke is deliberate, and it’s cracking me up. Is that a dead cat on his hat? ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-dc-universe-new-coke/583897/107 "2011-06-07T21:47:23Z")
Well, I doubt it’s dead (being just a context-less image), but it sure is a cat - to my eye, at least. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-dc-universe-new-coke/583897/108 "2011-06-07T21:58:26Z")
Awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-dc-universe-new-coke/583897/109 "2011-06-07T22:36:57Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > Mr Terrific’s own origin involves a meeting with the Spectre – the embodiment of the wrath of God – and he’s since died and been brought back to life by magic. What does he mean by “I’m an atheist” when he’s saying it to the reincarnation of an ancient egyptian, or a guy who collects the souls of evildoers in his costume? It could mean something like “I may believe in your existence, but your divinity is in question, and I choose not to worship you or any other form of deity.” ---
**Author:** ![Brainiac4](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brainiac4/32/3534_2.png) [@Brainiac4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brainiac4)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-dc-universe-new-coke/583897/110 "2011-06-08T03:12:51Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > It could mean something like “I may believe in your existence, but your divinity is in question, and I choose not to worship you or any other form of deity.” Pretty much my figuring. “It’s not that I don’t believe your’re powerful, but I don’t believe that there is one true God who created the universe. You’re just another super-powered being to me.” Or to put it another way, being a skeptic doesn’t mean you don’t believe that extraordinary powers could exist. You just want to see some kind of objective proof. Mr. Terrific is a great character, and one I’d like to see more of. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-dc-universe-new-coke/583897/111 "2011-06-08T10:22:41Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > He’s also seen the Spectre get whupped by a mere mortal, and met a Kryptonian who performs feats that seem as miraculous feats as any accomplished by – er, a green-clad guy with a high-tech lantern and a power ring; the DC universe is chock full of energy-manipulating folks in weird-looking costumes, and the allegedly divine ones don’t especially impress him. > [@Irishman](#): > > It could mean something like “I may believe in your existence, but your divinity is in question, and I choose not to worship you or any other form of deity.” > [@Brainiac4](#): > > Pretty much my figuring. “It’s not that I don’t believe your’re powerful, but I don’t believe that there is one true God who created the universe. You’re just another super-powered being to me.” > > Or to put it another way, being a skeptic doesn’t mean you don’t believe that extraordinary powers could exist. You just want to see some kind of objective proof. Yes, by all means, we can redefine the word so that the “third smartest person in the world” doesn’t come off as dense and petulant, but that just makes all the other characters “atheists” as well, doesn’t it? They meet supernatural entities all the time, and the only options under consideration seem to be “team-up” or “fight”. “Worship” never comes into it. There was an actual Angel of the Lord on the Justice League, and everyone more or less treated him as a substitute Hawkman. ---
**Author:** ![Capitaine\_Zombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@Capitaine\_Zombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capitaine_Zombie)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-dc-universe-new-coke/583897/112 "2011-06-08T10:33:12Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > Yes, by all means, we can redefine the word so that the “third smartest person in the world” doesn’t come off as dense and petulant, but that just makes all the other characters “atheists” as well, doesn’t it? They meet supernatural entities all the time, and the only options under consideration seem to be “team-up” or “fight”. “Worship” never comes into it. There was an actual Angel of the Lord on the Justice League, and everyone more or less treated him as a substitute Hawkman. If you’re talking about the angel guy Morrisson came up with, _he was a substitute Hawkman_. Morrisson had planned to use Hawkman to finish his arc, editor had other uses for Hawkman (namely the nth relaunch of the character, with a new continuity I guess, in the legendary effort by DC to completely screw up the character for the last thirty years), so he came up on the spot with the angel guy, as replacement. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-dc-universe-new-coke/583897/113 "2011-06-08T12:21:31Z")
I thought he meant the Spectre. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-dc-universe-new-coke/583897/114 "2011-06-08T14:31:54Z")
> [@Capitaine\_Zombie](#): > > If you’re talking about the angel guy Morrisson came up with, _he was a substitute Hawkman_. Morrisson had planned to use Hawkman to finish his arc, editor had other uses for Hawkman (namely the nth relaunch of the character, with a new continuity I guess, in the legendary effort by DC to completely screw up the character for the last thirty years), so he came up on the spot with the angel guy, as replacement. You know that. I know that. Ambush Bug knows that (but nobody listens to him). Kyle Rayner, Wally West and Clark Kent don’t know that (the Atlantean, the Amazon and the Martian can reasonably be excused from being overly impressed by an earthly manifestation of Abrahamic religion, I suppose). Yet, when a straight-up messenger of God turns up, pursued by the King-Angel of the army of Heaven and all his heavenly hosts, initiating what appears to be Judgement Day, everyone’s first instinct is to kick the shit out of them, and then pat themselves on the back when they’ve won. And then offer Zauriel a place on the team, because they can always use “a big fella with wings”. My point is that none of this is in any way unusual in DC comics – so in what way is Mr Terrific different in being an atheist? ---
**Author:** ![Capitaine\_Zombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@Capitaine\_Zombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capitaine_Zombie)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-dc-universe-new-coke/583897/115 "2011-06-08T14:38:00Z")
> [@BMalion](#): > > I thought he meant the Spectre. No **Wotnot** meant [Zauriel](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zauriel) (PS: **Wotnot** , I suspected you knew the entire story, but it wasnt that clear from the outside, didnt mean to step on your act 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-dc-universe-new-coke/583897/116 "2011-06-08T14:42:06Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > My point is that none of this is in any way unusual in DC comics – so in what way is Mr Terrific different in being an atheist? Terrific’s teammate, Doctor Mid-Nite, likewise knows that self-described angels exist and get their asses kicked – he’s seen it happen, first-hand – but Doc simply goes a step further by believing that said angels really _ **do** _ work for a wise and omnipotent deity who created the universe, which is why Doc attends church and prays to God and so on. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-dc-universe-new-coke/583897/117 "2011-06-08T17:18:05Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > Yes, by all means, we can redefine the word so that the “third smartest person in the world” doesn’t come off as dense and petulant, but that just makes all the other characters “atheists” as well, doesn’t it? They meet supernatural entities all the time, and the only options under consideration seem to be “team-up” or “fight”. “Worship” never comes into it. There was an actual Angel of the Lord on the Justice League, and everyone more or less treated him as a substitute Hawkman. Christians don’t worship angels. What were you expecting them to do? The Leaguers at the time DID express appropriate incredulity as to the apparently angelic nature of the beings they were fighting. Just because Superman’s a Christian and believes in Hell and the Devil doesn’t mean he won’t kick Etrigan’s ass if he tries to start some shit. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-dc-universe-new-coke/583897/118 "2011-06-09T00:28:53Z")
[Titans, LSH, more](http://io9.com/5809827/exclusive-dc-gives-us-a-first-look-at-the-new-teen-titans-legion-of-superheroes-and-more) So, _two_ Legion titles. And Legion Lost isn’t a continuation of the Abnett-era series (so, why issue the trade? added confusion?) Teen Titans is… a hot mess. Looks edgy. Extreeeme. I’ll be shocked if they don’t bring back Wendy and Marvin to be eaten by Wonderdog. And… Liefeld. That cover. Oy. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-dc-universe-new-coke/583897/119 "2011-06-09T01:40:45Z")
Liefeld still can’t draw feet. ---
**Author:** ![diku](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4af34b/32.png) [@diku](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diku)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-dc-universe-new-coke/583897/120 "2011-06-09T03:34:24Z")
I guess I still don’t get Hawk and Dove. I just can’t stand the characters at all, yet here they are with another series. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-dc-universe-new-coke/583897.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-dc-universe-new-coke/583897.md?page=7)